Ju Mipham Namgyal is one of the best known authors of the Nyingma tradition. He was a prolific writer with an
extraordinary knowledge of his own and others' dharma traditions. He wrote several texts on the topics of innermost
Great Completion (Dzogpa Chenpo). The one here is one of his texts on Thorough Cut (khregs chod).
The wording of the title "Preserving the Face of Rigpa" is explained in the introduction by the
author. Briefly though, it is saying that this is a text that focusses on one specific aspect of Thorough Cut
practice called "preserving rigpa". The remainder of the title, "The Essence of Wisdom", refers to the fact
that this technique of preserving rigpa really is the essential technique for developing wisdom.

The text is short but has become one of the core texts used in Tibet to teach this specific aspect of Thorough Cut
practice. Because it is so popular within the Tibetan tradition and because it is one of the few texts that
deals specifically with this subject, we felt that it was a worthy addition to our selection of texts on the subject
of Thorough Cut. Therefore, we have translated it and made a book out of it. Note that, although this
text was written as part of Dzogchen instruction, it is equally applicable to the practice of essence
Mahamudra. Thus the text is ideal for anyone who is practising either of the two. A short but clear
introduction makes the content of the text accessible.